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The Morris Marks house has been through a lot since it was built in 1880. It was converted into a boarding house, sawed in half twice and moved across downtown.

Now, with the Portland City Council鈥檚 support and the efforts of a couple of preservationists, the house may have long-term security.

The city is taking the final steps to sell a small lot it owns at Southwest Broadway and Grant Street to Karen Karlsson and Richard Michaelson, who moved the house from its former location at 1134 S.W. 12th Ave.

The city is finalizing the sale of the 4,750-square-foot lot from the Portland Water Bureau to Karlsson and Michaelson for $180,000. The amount was determined by a city appraisal and tax value.

The 4,000-square-foot structure will be renovated and used as offices, Karlsson said.

For preservationists, the property sale is a last step to ensure the Morris Marks house鈥檚 future. Over decades, efforts have been made to move the house. It was designed by noted 19th-century Portland architect Warren H. Williams for Marks, who was a merchant.

鈥淚t鈥檚 an incredible example of an Italianate house,鈥� Karlsson said.

Karlsson, a project management consultant, said the house needs significant work. Piping and electrical equipment were attached to walls鈥� exteriors. Pocket doors were walled over. The house has no functioning plumbing or electrical systems.

The house was moved in September to the city lot. A lease is in place until the sale is completed.

鈥淚t hadn鈥檛 been occupied for about 17 years,鈥� Karlsson said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 now set on a foundation and we鈥檙e now cleaning it up.鈥�

The house is no longer appropriate for residential use, Karlsson said. After the renovation, she and Michaelson, a developer, plan to sell the property.

鈥淭he idea is it will be converted to offices, and we鈥檙e working on doing that,鈥� she said.

The deal with the city was slowed when it was discovered the Water Bureau owned the property, and not Parks & Recreation as had been thought.

The property was once Portland鈥檚 first municipal reservoir, storing water pumped from the Willamette River, said Mike Stuhr, director of the Portland Water Bureau. Once a full city block, much of the property has been swallowed up by easements, rights of way and Interstate 405, he said.

Commissioner Amanda Fritz said she鈥檇 been working to preserve the house since at least 2007.

鈥淭hroughout my time in office, I have been looking for a solution for this,鈥� she said. 鈥淭here have been multiple different opportunities.鈥�

The city will not miss the small Southwest Portland lot, Commissioner Nick Fish said.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a tiny, little, irregular shape of property that鈥檚 had no use forever,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e鈥檝e not only saved a historic piece of property, but we鈥檝e found a home for it and we鈥檝e generated revenue for our ratepayers.鈥�

The property sale went through a first reading on Jan. 10. A final vote will take place at a later date.